Celery, Apple and Mixed Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
A bright, refreshing French-style salad combining peppery mixed greens, crispy celery, and sweet-tart apple slices with a classic Dijon mustard vinaigrette sharpened by minced shallots and red wine vinegar. Simple, elegant, and ready in just 12 minutes.
- Prep
- 11 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 1 min
- Total
- 12 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 8 cups total salad)
Steps
Before you start
- Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed greens (preferably using a salad spinner)
- Select a crisp, sweet-tart apple variety like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- Measure out all ingredients before you begin assembling
- Read through the recipe to understand the 12-minute timeline
Combine vinaigrette base
- In a small jar or bowl, combine the minced shallot, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar.
- Let sit for 1 minute to allow the shallot to soften slightly and flavors to meld together.
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Ready when: Shallot is evenly distributed throughout the mixture
Tip: The brief rest helps develop a balanced, mellow vinaigrette by softening the raw shallot flavor
Emulsify the vinaigrette
- While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the olive oil in a thin, steady stream.
- Continue whisking for about 30 seconds after all the oil is added until the dressing is creamy and emulsified.
- Add the kosher salt and black pepper, then taste and adjust as needed—add more salt for seasoning, more vinegar for tang, or a little extra oil for richness.
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Ready when: Vinaigrette is creamy and emulsified, and flavors are balanced to your taste
Tip: Whisk steadily while adding oil in a slow, thin stream; this creates a stable emulsion rather than a broken, oily dressing
Prepare the greens
- Place the cleaned and thoroughly dried mixed greens in a large salad bowl.
- Gently tear any larger leaves into bite-sized pieces so all greens are roughly uniform in size.
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Ready when: All leaves are torn into bite-sized pieces
Tip: Thoroughly dry the greens; any water left on them will dilute the vinaigrette and make the salad watery and limp
Slice the celery
- Trim the celery stalks and slice them thinly on a slight bias (at an angle), about ¼-inch thick.
- Discard any tough root ends and any bruised or yellowed outer leaves.
- You should have about 1½ cups of sliced celery.
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Ready when: Celery is uniformly sliced and ready to add to the salad
Tip: Slicing on a slight bias exposes more surface area, allowing the celery to absorb the vinaigrette better
Prepare the apple
- Core the apple and slice it thinly, about ¼-inch thick, keeping the skin on for color and texture.
- As you slice, immediately toss the apple slices in the lemon juice to prevent browning and preserve the crisp texture.
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Ready when: Apple is thinly sliced and coated evenly with lemon juice
Tip: Work quickly and coat with lemon juice immediately; don't let the apple sit exposed to air or it will brown and the texture will deteriorate
Assemble and serve
- Add the sliced celery and apple (with any excess lemon juice) to the bowl of greens.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad.
- Using salad servers or your clean hands, gently toss everything together until all the greens are evenly coated with dressing.
- Serve immediately while the greens are still crisp and fresh.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly coated with vinaigrette and salad is ready to serve
Tip: Toss gently to avoid bruising the delicate leaves; dressed salad wilts quickly, so serve right away
Good to know
Tips
- Dry the greens thoroughly before using; any remaining water will dilute the vinaigrette and make the salad watery
- Keep the vinaigrette balanced: the acidity should be bright and mouth-watering but not harsh, and the oil should feel silky but not greasy
- Slice the apple as close to serving time as possible and toss immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning and preserve texture
- Toss the salad gently just before serving; aggressive mixing will bruise the delicate leaves and turn them dark and mushy
Make ahead
The vinaigrette can be made 2–3 days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed jar. Shake well before using. The salad is best assembled just before serving for maximum crispness.
Storage & reheating
Assemble the salad immediately before eating for the best texture. Undressed components keep separately in the refrigerator: mixed greens up to 4 days, celery up to 5 days, and apple slices (tossed in lemon juice) up to 1 day. The vinaigrette keeps up to 3 days in a sealed jar. Leftover dressed salad will wilt; store in a sealed container for up to 2 hours if necessary and eat as soon as possible.
Substitutions
- red wine vinegar → sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar. Use equal amounts; sherry vinegar is slightly milder, white wine vinegar is a bit sharper
- Dijon mustard → whole grain mustard or yellow mustard. Whole grain gives a grainier texture and slightly nuttier flavor; yellow mustard is milder and more tangy
- large apple, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp → ripe pear or seedless grapes. Pear offers similar sweetness and crisp texture; grapes provide juiciness and a different visual element
- mixed greens (such as arugula, romaine, and spinach) → arugula, romaine, or fresh spinach. Arugula brings peppery notes, romaine adds crunch and substance, spinach provides earthiness
